Stakeholders seek support for tourism sector
Let’s protect Osun River -Gani Adams
Some foreign devotees at the just concluded Osun-Osogbo festival have expressed belief in the sanctity of the Osun deity, saying the annual fiesta offers opportunity for worship through the sacred grove.
The tourists, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of the grand finale of the festival in Osogbo, said the event gave them joy and a sense of belonging in the worship of the Osun goddess.
A Brazilian, Mrs. Regina Alberto, said she was in Osun specifically for the Osun-Osogbo festival as a devotee of the Yoruba Orisa worship.
NAN reports that Alberto is a member of the Odudua Worldwide Group, a Diaspora socio-cultural organisation committed to the promotion of Yoruba culture, tradition and worship.
NAN also reports that no fewer than 50 members of the group were sighted at the sacred grove during Friday’s grand finale.
Alberto, who said this was her second outing at the festival, however, said that her group had been coming for the festival since 2011.
“I am from Brazil. I am with Odudua Brazil, which is part of Odudua Worldwide Group.
“This is my second year of coming for the festival, but my group had been coming since 2011.
“The Osun-Osogbo festival is very important to us because in Brazil we praise Orisa deity and being here and seeing everyone praying and worshipping, just like we try to do is so emotional.
“The energy is so powerful, it is really hard not to cry,” she said.
Alberto said the understanding of her group that the source and worship point of the Osun goddess was located at the Osun-Osogbo grove spurred its interest in the festival.
She said the festival gave members of the visiting devotees joy to be in company of indigenous devotees and others from around the world to celebrate the Osun goddess.
Also speaking with NAN, a German, Johnnnes Wollbold, said he was in Osun to study Yoruba culture and take part in the Osun-Osogbo festival.
Wollbold said the study would give him a comprehensive report on the lives and nature of Osogbo people.
Wollbold, who said he came from Weimer Germany, said he was working in partnership with Jungle Communication Centre to study African philosophy vis-a-vis Yoruba culture.
He said he had been to Nigeria three times in the 90s but took part in Osun-Osogbo festival in 1995.
“I am here to study Yoruba /West African culture, the music, drumming, dancing and African philosophy.
“The Yoruba culture is not individualistic, often the Yoruba celebrate together and the Osun festival brings people together.
“The festival afforded me the opportunity to understand how the Yoruba people mix together, their contact with nature and harmony between nature and humans, and not forgetting their roots.
“The Osun festival is joy of life. I see people in their everyday life, joyful and I love the celebration.
“I like the Yoruba people. They are friendly. They are not individualistic. As a German-European, I will, however, like them to stay peaceful.
“There is a senseless war in Europe between Russia and Ukraine which is crazy, so I will advise Nigerians to learn to settle their differences and stay peaceful,” he said.
Stakeholders seek support for tourism sector
Also, stakeholders in the culture and tourism sector have solicited the support and collaboration of government at all levels in boosting the sector.
The stakeholders made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of the grand finale of the Osun Osogbo festival on Friday.
The Araba Awo of Osogbo-land, Chief Ifayemi Elebubon, said the Osun-Osogbo 600-year-old heritage had intrinsic connection with Yoruba tradition and worship.
The renowned traditionalist, who noted that the annual festival had become a huge tourist destination, urged all tiers of government to collaborate in boosting the world heritage site.
NAN reports that Osun-Osogbo festival, whose history dates back to many centuries, is usually celebrated in an ancient grove believed to be among the last of the sacred forests still remaining among Yoruba cities.
In recognition of its global significance and cultural value, the Sacred Grove was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
Elebubon said the purpose of the festival was to fulfill the ancestral oath taking with the Osun goddess for protection.
He said the blessings from the deity were enormous and these required the annual sacrificial homage to the heritage site.
Similarly, Nike Okundaye, the owner of the popular Nike Arts and Gallery, called for collaboration among key stakeholders to boost the Culture and Tourism sector.
She congratulated the government and people of Osun for a successful hosting of the festival while expressing gratitude to the visiting devotees and tourists who attended.
“We have people who came from Brazil and other parts of the world. Thank you for coming. We appreciate you and hope to see you next year,” she said.
Gani Adams seeks protection for Osun River
Meanwhile, the Aare Onakankafo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has appealed to the Osun State government to protect the Osun river from the illegal activities of artisanal miners.
Adams, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of the grand finale of the Osun- festival, said the pollution of the river by the artisanal miners was worrisome.
He called on government to put an end to the activities of the artisanal miners in order to preserve the sanctity of the sacred grove.
“I want to appeal to the state government to put a stop to the activities of the artisanal miners so as to protect our heritage.
“These artisanal miners are contaminating our heritage and this is dangerous, highly ridiculous and a threat to our tourism and cultural potential,” he said.
Adams, however, expressed the belief that the Osun goddess would protect those who drank the contaminated water during the festival.
“I believe by the power of Osun, anybody that drank the contaminated water will not be affected,” he said.
Adams also called for the promotion of Yoruba culture.
“We must continue to promote our culture because if we refuse to promote our culture, we will lose our identity and history.
“By promoting our culture, there will be cohesion and unity,” he said.
Adams, who described Osun Osogbo festival as one of the oldest in Yorubaland, said it was one of the ways to promote the rich culture of the Yoruba.
“Osun Osogbo festival is not about religion but rather it is about promoting Yoruba culture,” he said.
NAN reports that government on Thursday advised tourists and devotees to the grand finale of the festival to refrain from drinking the water because of contamination.
The Commissioner for Health, Rafiu Isamotu, gave the advice in an interview with NAN.
He said government embarked on sensitisation to discourage people from drinking the water during the festival as it had been contaminated by the activities of artisanal miners
But in spite of government’s warning, many devotees and visitors were sighted on Friday defying the warning.
